


Masquerade

by citylightsrestlessnights



Category: Atonement (2007), Fishbowl, X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Action, Cheating, F/M, Love, Masks, Masquerade, Mystery, Romance, Venice
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-08-31
Updated: 2012-10-14
Packaged: 2017-11-13 05:40:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,568
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/500106
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/citylightsrestlessnights/pseuds/citylightsrestlessnights
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Once you get entangled in Cristiana Venier's life everything is meant to turn for wrong. Most of the time.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Cristiana Venier walked out of the university as quick as she could, trying to avoid the mob that was surrounding the place. They were filming some movie in Cambridge and all it attracted were brat girls who got excited by seeing movie stars. It annoyed her to the core and all she wanted to do is leave, luckily, her time there would be over in matter of two weeks when she finished the history seminar she was dictating about Venetian art and masques. 

 

She fixed her black hat and walked down the stairs as she head some girls giggling. He pace was fast, she wanted to leave, she had something really valuable in her bag and harming it would be the end of her life. But, at the same time she also felt curious about seeing who would make such a fuzz in town, still she felt lazy about walking trough the crazy mob, so she decided to walk towards the parking lot and go back to her little flat as soon as she could, tea was waiting for her.

 

Once in front of her car she saw two men, squatting down as hiding from someone. Cristiana blinked her hazel eyes in wonder as one of the men, the tallest one, looked at her. He had silvery blue eyes, incipient copper beard and a killer smile. He put his index finger on his mouth, begging her for silence. Then the other man looked up at her, bright blue eyes that caused an immediate impression on her. He looked familiar somehow, but she could not explain it. After overthinking about the appearance of both she couldn’t decide who was even more handsome than the other, then a thought assaulted her: who were they hiding from? She squatted next to them.

 

“Can you please explain the game you’re playing because, sincerely you two look incredibly funny here.” As she squat one of the masks she has on her bag falls to the ground. _Perfect_. She thought. What she tried to take care of might be broken already. The tall man picks it up and smiles mischievously at the blue eyed guy, it is a stare full of confidence. 

 

“We need to be stealth. People’s looking for us.” The sound of his voice was alluring, his accent was kind of neutral though, he could be from anywhere… Then Cristiana wondered why she was acting so physical that day, normally she would just ignore people’s features and pay more attention to their actions and reactions but these two men were impossible to ignore, they were far too handsome and… _Oh lord, of course, they were the actors the girls were drooling for in the university_. She is not much of a film person, even when, she was an artist. 

 

“And that’s why you have to act like fugitives in a hollywood movie.” She added with sarcasm. The blue eyed guy laughed and shook his head, there was something charming about him, something childish but at the same time lustful. She stood up and opened the door of her car, acting naturally, there were a couple of girls wandering around, looking for the two actors. She unlocked the back door of the car and as she was closing hers. 

 

“Well, this is your ride to freedom. Will you take it or not?” The men shared a look and got into the car, sneakily and still squatting. They closed the door and she turned the engine. The thing with Cristiana was that once you get her attention or curiosity, nobody could stop it and she would keep on going until she found out every secret and detail about what she needed to know. Now, hands on this little escape plan, she would not let them keep on going until she knew what they were up to, they were the main source after all.

 

“So what it is that you guys are filming and what are your names. I’m sure you’re big movie stars but I’m not good with such details.” She said, driving naturally as they kept themselves down between the backseat and the front seats.

 

“So you’re not a psycho fangirl.” The tall man had the sarcasm she had and she liked it.

 

“No, I’m not. But I can be a psycho killer and that would be worse for you.” The blue eyed guy laughed again, there was something about him, what was that? As she looked around, trying to leave the parking lot, the tall man noticed the bag that was on the backseat, it contained some masks.

 

“Well, we’re facing some interesting psycho killer obsessed with venetian masks for what I see.” His observation was right except by the fact that she was no killer, a psycho, maybe but they didn’t want to find out about it. 

 

“We are filming a movie about mutants. We are mutants, basically.” Finally the blue eyed man spoke and his accent was clearly scottish something that she was a sucker for. _Charming_. Cristiana motioned them to sit on the backseat, the field was clear and there were no risks after they crossed the parking lot and left to the main street.

 

“It is weird to find someone who doesn’t freak out with us. I think we’re facing a real treasure James.” The tall man touches his jaw as he speaks, Cristiana didn’t remember meeting someone who exuded such sexual energy and she felt a little bit intimidated for a moment. Then James, she thought studied her. She may remember him from a movie but she could not tell.

 

“I don’t watch many movies, you see. I’m more of a theater person, traditional arts.” 

 

“And you’re not from here. I can tell by your accent which, I must say is beautiful. Are you from Italy?” Interesting observation from James, she thought.

 

“Venice, to be more precise. Nice to meet you, Cristiana Venier.” She noticed she had been longing to hear their names for a long time and still they didn’t seem to reveal the secret.

 

“Sorry. My name is Michael Fassbender and this is James McAvoy.” Of course, now she knew, she had heard their names in the halls and everywhere else but she didn’t notice until then. “So, Venetian. That’s interesting, do you live here?” It was weird for Cristiana to be interrogated in such a way, especially by hollywood actors, but still it wasn’t overwhelming or exciting, just weird.

 

“No, I live in Venice. I’m here for a week. Giving a seminar.” 

 

“On venetian masks.” James added.

 

“That’s right.”

 

“You’re a mascherari.” He added again. The man was surprising, he was was pretty aware of his surroundings and observing anything. Cristiana laughed, nodding.

 

“Someone’s been reading history. What’s a Mascherari?” Michael’s voice sounded a little bit annoyed but Cristiana decided to overlook the fact. 

 

“Mascherari are the mask-makers. It used to be an art centuries ago, we even had a league.” And she was part of it, whether she wanted it or not, it was a family thing, a beautiful treasure but also a dangerous one. The conversation reminded her of the contents of her bag. She gave it a look, expecting it not to be broken.

 

“I just remembered some lessons in drama school. Comedia Dell’Arte.” James added. Cristiana’s thoughts drifted away from the mask to him again. And he knew about Comedia Dell’Arte. What else can be missing? This man was charming to the core. 

 

“Well, Cristiana. We appreciate the fact that you saved us from the mob. All the way from Italy.” Michael was direct and shameless, Cristiana noticed. James seemed more reserved but always staring and observing. Both of them had a charm, no wonder why the girls were freaking out, she would do it herself even if it wasn’t for the fact that actors were not her thing. As she drove she was approaching the hotel where she was staying.

 

“No problem at all. I’m glad I saved two lives today, that’s my good action for the day. Where should I drop you?” The worry about the content on her bag came back. 

 

“We’re staying in the hotel few blocks away from here.” Michael was getting closer to her ear. 

 

“Then it must be your lucky day. We’re on the same place.” Too many coincidences, Cristiana is not the kind of person who believes in fate or anything but something feels fishy about this. The mask comes back to her head. The few minutes remaining to get to the hotel were silent until they reach the parking lot again. Michael approaches Cristiana as she takes out her bag and a suitcase from the trunk. 

 

“I would really like to thank you for the ride. Would you like to have dinner some time while you are in town?” That was damn straight. Cristiana thought, but she liked him being so direct, normally she would say a rotund no, but that man was so attractive and the idea of doing something else than restoring masks, speaking about them and going from the hotel to college sounded more than fine.

 

“8865. Give me a call or leave a message.”

 

“Got it. 1269. Just in case.” He blinked and eye to her as he walked towards the entrance of the hotel. James was nowhere to be seen anymore. A shame.

 

“Don’t you freak out by giving your room number to a psycho killer?” She yelled as she closed the trunk of her car. 

 

“That wouldn’t be my main concern. I’m a mutant, remember? I can bend metals and could get into yours before you get to mine.” And now he was flirting too! _That’s some progress Cristiana_! She smiled and waved at him. As he disappeared through the door she looked down to the bag and remembered the main concern of her life. 


	2. Chapter 2

She held the mask in her hands. The damage wasn’t big, but such delicate item shouldn’t be handled with such lack of care. Cristiana wondered why she took it and carried it like that. _Because I had to_. She thought. She felt like a thief, and she was one but leaving such precious item in the hands of someone who didn’t have any idea about the value of it was insane. 

 

The mask was a [classic Colombina](http://www.magicofvenezia.com/catalog/C40s_a.jpg), made in the traditional mix for papier maché and painted gold with details in black ink. Apparently it was very antique, you could tell by the wasted ends by the sides. It would be a total challenge to restore it and it was also a big challenge not to feel excited and nervous about having the old antique mask that could define her history in two. She left the mask on her desk and grabbed her cell phone, she had to share it with someone.

 

“Sebastiana?”

 

“Cristiana! Cara mia!! I was worried about you, one week of no news!” An excited voice on the other side. It was Sebastiana Vivaldi, Cristiana’s best friend and associate. Both shared their love for art and both decided to have their own mascherari business in Venice, in the San Polo area, one of the most populars for the small gallerias and businesses of artisans. 

 

“You won’t believe what I got.”

 

“Don’t tell me you got it” Cristiana could tell that Sebastiana was biting her nails on the other side of the line.

 

“Sadly, I didn’t. But I got the Colombina. We are getting closer.” This was an important matter for both, more for her than Sebastiana but it was something both had to achieve, no matter what. 

 

“Those are great news! Is it good?” 

 

“A little damaged, we have some work to do, it is breaking in pieces, the paint is really wasted and the previous owner didn’t have any idea of what he had. I had to run away with it and in the process I met some…” Getting it was an odyssey she didn’t want to share with Sebastiana, but she would get the idea.

 

“I’m not gonna ask you about the details on how you got it…” 

 

“Well… Nothing we haven’t done before.” As she responded she heard a knock on her door. Cristiana wasn’t expecting anyone, she didn’t have any friends in town. Could it be? No… “I’ll call you back.” She hung up the phone and walked slowly towards the door. _Should I open it or not?_ She was debating when she heard the knocks again, they were subtle and not desperate. If it was the owner of the mask he was very polite. She put her hand on the knob and opened the door slowly.

 

“I thought you were avoiding me.” Michael. God, what a scary instant she just lived. _That’s what happens when you get hollywood movies in your head_. She thought. Too many fantasies. And speaking of fantasies, he was one at that moment, he was standing there wearing a white shirt, jeans and smelling incredibly good. 

 

“I thought you were a spy. I had to take my precautions.” Cristiana let him into her room as she walked back to the table where her masks were.

 

“I hope I’m not interrupting anything.” Michael walked around the room, looking for any peculiarity on it, but it just looked like his’ only a little bit smaller. Cristiana smiled and looked at him, why did they have such cinematographic dialogues? Everything felt like a play, a theater play in which both knew the role and the lines perfectly. 

 

“Don’t worry. I was just talking to my masks, you know, sharing secrets.” Michael walked slowly towards Cristiana as she kept on fixing the masks on her table, delicately putting her hands over them, enticed by them.

 

“Well, you can share them with someone who responds as well… like me.” With this he grabbed her attention and she looked straight at him. It sounded tempting, he thought it was bold from his part. “I don’t mean to sound bold, but you really got me at _psycho killer_.” _And he is also shameless._ There was something about him that Cristiana found incredibly attractive, more than his sexy looks, killer body and disarming smile, there was something in his voice. “And I couldn’t wait even a day to see if you wanted to have dinner with me.” Now he was standing in front of her and if it wasn’t because she was still on her senses she would be already wrapping her hands around his neck and kissing him eagerly. _What is wrong with you Cristiana?_

 

“I think the masks might get a little jealous but your offer sounds tempting…” She gathered the courage to turn around and walk towards the minibar. After that she needed a drink. “When and where?” She showed him the bottle of whisky, motioning to have a drink, he nodded and smiled, he didn’t see her answer coming probably.

 

“Here, in one hour?” _That was quick_. Anyway, her plans were just staying around, trying to restore what she found and prepare class for the next day, some changes in the schedule wouldn’t harm anybody anyway. She passed him the glass with whisky as she looked at him in the eye.

 

“Pick me up at 8 o’clock.” She said taking a small, shy sip from her glass as he toasted and drank a little bit of it. There was a weird but comfortable silence between them before Michael decided to walk towards the door, not without giving her one last look. It was the silence of anxious anticipation. 


	3. Chapter 3

Michael waited on the doorstep fixing the collar of his jacket as Cristiana looked for her purse. She was wearing a simple black dress to the knee, red think belt and high heels. The magic about the dress was in the cleavage, square but enough to show her perfect round average sized breasts. Once she finally found it she walked up to him who gave her a look from head to toe, a little lascivious and mesmerized. In Michael’s mind they would have never left the room and would go straight to the point, but he wasn’t in the mood of acting as an asshole and this girl really seemed fascinating, to hear and to stare, he wasn’t going to do that. 

 

By the moment they were leaving the hotel and they found a photographer waiting for them at the entrance, Cristiana felt the weight and importance of the simple fact of an “innocent” date: we wasn’t just anybody, he was an actor, he was famous and by default she would get 15 minutes of fame by just appearing in a snapshot that might be already posted on the internet. She looked at him nervously but Michael was just acting cool and waving at the people. He had the guts. THE GUTS. Once in the car she got rid of the uneasy sensation of being stared.

 

“It’s kind of hard to be you.” She added and she meant it.

 

“Well, I just pretend I’m a normal person and ignore them, I try to be friendly so they don’t think you have something to hide.” She turned to face him, interested in his words, she liked to listen to people, normally she wouldn’t do much talking. 

 

“Oh, but you have something to hide.” She said with interest. Michael laughed, she noticed his perfect smile and it reminded her of a shark, somehow. The only thought of it made her smile, she was already associating him with things, she always did that with people she wanted to keep around. _Way too fast Cris_. 

 

“I do. Just as you.” Oh, and he was clever as well. “If you share your secret with me maybe I can share mine with you.” _Tempting, but not enough_. Cristiana smiled as she looked through the window. She wish she could tell him that she was on a mission, a stupid one but worth the efforts and all that they took. _If only he knew_. She let out a sigh unconsciously. 

 

“Wow, it must be a big secret to make you sigh like that.”

 

“My biggest secret right now is: I’m starving and I might even order three primi piatti.” This made Michael laugh out loud, he was kind of captivated by the way she spoke to him, no strings attached, with humor and over all, without patronizing him as the actor. He was just another man in her eyes and she was trying to overlook the fact that she was getting too much exposure by the simple fact of going out with him to have dinner. They finally got to a restaurant, which curiously, was italian.

 

“I hope you don’t mind but I love the food in your country.”

 

“Not at all. I’m in the mood for some comfort food.” She added as they went inside. She missed her placed and her simple life in her studio in the San polo area, she missed being surrounded by paint, papier maché and the heat of the venetian summer coming through her window. But her assignment should be finished already and she was losing time. _Well it is not lost time when you’re with a handsome man who ended up being a famous actor_. 

 

The dinner was a whole success, for both. Michael was fascinated with her manners and the way she spoke, the italian accent of her english was irresistible; there was also something about the way she expressed herself, as if she was speaking in riddles, it made him even more curious about her. 

 

“Then, you travel around europe trying to find priceless masks.” He added as they got the dessert. By her recommendation they had the traditional tiramisu, her favorite. 

 

“It’s a short way of defining my job, but, yes, that’s what I do.” She added. She felt comfortable with him asking questions about her job for the first time. Normally she would say she was an artist and skipped the part of being a “collector” because more than that she was a hunter of masks, the weirdest ones, the ones with a story but it would take long to explain that, plus, the motivations of having such a job. 

 

“I’m sorry if I’m besieging you with questions, it is the first time someone is not interviewing me. Feels nice.” Michael’s smile produced in Cristiana’s body a certain something, she related him to a shark, with that smiling face but that sensation of danger, the certainty of getting into trouble. _I don’t think I can use trouble right now, but…_

 

“Feels good to have someone genuinely interested in what you do.” She added. He was asking parting from his innocence and curiosity, unlike some other people. Then she thought about his life, she could never deal with fame, she was pretty popular in her town but that was different, nobody was following her around to take her photo or know who she was dating recently, it was more of a silent fame, leaded by her last name and the family business. Family Business, two words that haunted her since forever and would never stop until she conquered her victory. 

 

“But enough of work. I can’t talk about masks forever. So, Michael Fassbender, what is your idea of fun? Hiding from fans in company of your friends? Escaping from people? You seem like a pretty busy man to be hanging around with a common woman like me.” She had to express it, the question was haunting her for a while, why did he invite her to dinner, apart from the fact that his eyes almost took her clothes off when he picked her up in the hotel. He laughed and took a sip of his wine.

 

“I’m busy, yes, but I have time to be a human being and I like to hang out with real people, like you. As for my idea of fun, I like to ride my motorbike, no particular destination, just grab the keys, helmet and off we go.” He was so real, she was enchanted by the way he talked, all excited and happy about his hobby, like a child. The conversation kept on going, mostly about their hobbies, Michael’s family and Cristiana’s strange fascination for serial killer biographies. At almost midnight they decided to go back to the hotel, Cristiana felt already dizzy by the wine when they reached her doorstep. The crucial moment. She stopped and turned to look at him, she liked guessing his intentions, which were immediately clear.

 

“I hope you don’t mind but I’ve been craving to do this the whole evening.” He grabbed by her waist, pulling her close to his body. _Of course._ She saw this coming and she felt she was craving for it as well. She grabbed the back of his neck and pulled him closer to her to start a hungry, violent kiss that needed no further explanation.

 

His scent was so alluring and his kiss was so entertaining that Cristiana let out a little moan and pulled him inside the room, shutting the door behind them. There wasn’t any harm in having an adventure while she was gone, besides, it was just one or day or two before she would leave and it all would remain as a memory of a good time. Michael was to overwhelmed to think about anything, she just felt so good close to him, he could feel the softness of he hair in his hands and her lips were so soft he could bite them forever. Her hands took the initiative and took off his jacket as he, amusedly, kissed her neck, looking down for her cleavage. He could’ve had banged her there, with the clothes on, the need was too much, but he wanted to make the most of it, t was just going to be one time and somehow the idea of having her in his hands, defenseless and naked made the idea of all of it even more attractive. 

 

She was a little scared by being clumsy but with his help and apparent expertise they walked towards the bed, leaving a trace of clothes from the doorstep to the bed: shoes, pants, her dress and his shirt. Michael stopped for a moment, to see her in the dim light that entered through the big window next to the bed. Her hourglass shaped body looked so inviting, he crawled over her as she kept on kissing violently. “You italian psycho killer.” he whispered on her ear as his hands went to her back and lifted her her up to take off her bra and marvel at her round perfect breasts.  Cristiana was in ecstasy, he was so pleasing, his hands knew where to move and every second made it all even more intense, his excitement was evident and she could feel it in her thighs. Her hands moved down his hip, he was so skinny, she stopped for a moment and looked at him, all she could see was a spark in his eyes, he smirked in an evil way and it was enough to turn her on wildly. She took of his boxers and passed her hands through his shaft, intimidating but irresistible.

 

Without any reservations he made is way into her as she spreaded her legs in pleasure for him, both of them, sighed and moaned in ecstasy. Cristiana could not recall the last time she felt such intense sensation, probably a year ago with her ex-fianceé or maybe never… What was so different with this man? Probably the feeling that she barely knew him and it all was an adventure, her trip to England, meeting him and the fact that she had to leave soon. _Stop thinking._ She said to herself, the shivers every movement he made brought her back to the moment. She loved how distracted she got with his skin, his chest and his lips. Her nails went down his back, it seemed to excite him even more, due to his response in moans. Michael couldn’t resist to her, there wasn’t anything he could do to ease himself, she fitted him so perfectly, her nails on his back as he bit her neck without any care, he wanted her so badly. _The neck_. She thought, he was attacking the perfect spot and his teeth on it felt so nice that she didn’t regret the possible signs after the exultation. 

 

“Uhhh! Caro mio…” She moaned, what he was producing her was indescribable, it just encouraged him even more to keep on going, harder and faster. 

 

“Don’t… speak… to me… in Italian” He muttered taking her face by her jaw. As an invitation to keep on doing it more, Cristiana kept on whispering and moaning things in italian, whether he understood them or not, both of them were so into driving the other mad that they reached a quick, intense orgasm almost at the same time. _Never mind the neighbors_ or whoever could hear, they were loud, so what?

 

Once done, Michael let himself fall into the bed next to her, with his eyes closed as she stared at the ceiling, but his hands were still restless running around her belly and breasts. She missed this, the fact of feeling wanted and adored. But it was just going to be one night and in one day she would be back in Venice, being the same old Cristiana, playing with fire everywhere else except in bed.


End file.
